Agricultural pots, containers, and cans are traditionally used for the containment of soil or other growing media useful in growing plants or shrubs. Typically, these devices, herein referred to as xe2x80x9cplant potsxe2x80x9d, form a containment vessel capable of protecting the plant root structure located within the growing medium from damage during shipping. In addition, these plant pots enable the continued development of a plant prior to permanent implantation.
Currently, a wide variety of plant pots are available in a plurality of forms and configurations for general or specialized use. As shown in FIG. 1, these plant pots 1 include a pot base member 3 in communication with a lateral support wall 5. A soil receiving aperture 7 is formed by the lateral support member 5 and the pot base member 3. Additionally, these plant pots 1 may include a watering plate 9, which is capable of detachably engaging the pot base member 3 of the plant pot 1. The pot base member 3 or the lateral support wall 5 may have at least one drainage hole 11 formed therein to permit the drainage of excess water from the growing media.
Commonly, plant pots are manufactured from a variety of materials including, for example, various clays, cements, metals, ceramics, and plastics. Disposable plastic plant pots are frequently used in the nursery industry due to their relative low cost. These disposable plastic plant pots must be capable of withstanding the rigors of shipping and handling while providing adequate support to the soil or growing media and encourage continued plant development. One shortcoming associated with these disposable plastic plant pots relates to removing the plant from the plant pot for replanting or implantation. Over time, the soil or growing media containing the plant root system may become entrenched within the disposable plant pot, making the removal of the plant root system from the disposable plastic plant pot difficult if not impossible. Typically, the plant removal process results in substantially if not irreversible damage to the plant root system.
Thus, there is a need for a plant pot device capable of providing sufficient support to soil or a growing media while enabling the removal of the plant and growing media therefrom without damaging the plant root system or root ball.
The present invention is directed to a plant container useful in growing and transporting plants. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention enables a user to easily remove a plant from the container without damaging the plant root system or root ball located within a plant growing media.
In one aspect, the present invention comprises a base member, a lateral support wall defining a receiving aperture in communication with the base member, and at least one removal device located on the container. Prior to the actuation of the at least one removal device, the receiving aperture defines a volume V. The at least one removal device is separable from the container, wherein the separation of the at least one removal device results in the volume of the receiving aperture increasing from volume V to volume Vxe2x80x2. The increase in the volume of the at least one receiving aperture permits the easy removal of a plant from the container. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention may be manufactured from a plurality of materials, including, for example, various plastics, acrylics, metals, ceramics, clays, and wood-pulp based materials such as paper.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the removable plant container comprises a base member, a lateral support wall in communication with the base member, a receiving aperture formed by the base member and the lateral support wall, and at least one tear member in communication with and separable from the base member and lateral support wall. Prior to the actuation of the at least one tear member, the receiving aperture defines a volume V. The at least one tear member is positioned on and defines a first portion and a second portion on the lateral support wall, wherein the separation of the at least one tear member from the lateral support wall results in the volume of the receiving aperture increasing from volume V to volume Vxe2x80x2. At least one finger hole may be in communication with the at least one tear member.
The present invention also provides a method of removing a plant from a plant container which includes providing a plant container comprising a receiving aperture having a volume V, the receiving aperture formed by a base member in communication with a lateral support wall, providing at least one tear member in communication with the container, actuating said at least one tear member in communication with said container, increasing the diameter of the receiving aperture from volume V to volume Vxe2x80x2, and removing said plant from said receiving aperture.
Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description.